Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-10-07

But looked at his hard face and
| painted out:
You are I policeman, | know!
What do YOU want with Mr.. Rayner?"
"Ncycr you mind, my dear; we won't
hurt You. Just 90 and say you want
to speak 10 him
for my voice seemed to grow suddenly
weak. 'NHhatcvcr you think he has
done, or whatever he has done, l will
never help to harm Mr.. Rayner!"
The nan shrugged lis shoulders,
walked to the window. whistlcd softly
Laurence rut me in chair. whisper
ing: That's a brave girl!'-but with
such an anxious, stern face. And the
other man came back into the room.
followed by policeman with lis staff
ready i'll his hand.
I'VE must break open the door,"
said the elder man.
| started from my seat. wanted to
rush to the drawing-room door and
warn MIR Rayner; but Laurence pre-
vented me, whispering, gravely:
My darling, you must leave it to us
now"
Every word, every movement had
been so quiet that the music still went
on while they opened the school-room
door and crossed the hall. l stood
watching them breathlessly.
The three men, Laurence, the most
stalwart, foremost, placed themselves
against the drawing-room door, and by
one mighty push burst it open. ran
forward to the doorway just in time to
see Gordon, Mr.. Carruther's servant,
fling down the violin and rush to the
opposite window, the shutters of which
were unfastened. But l heard the
crash of glass and at the same instant
two policemen dashed through the
shattered French windCav. seized and
nandcu.ied HIM. Then lie stood be-
tween them, white and immoyable,
without struggle.
dts no go. We know you're one
of the gang" said the middle-agcd
man. Games up. We've got your
| leader"
"What leader?" asked Gordon,
calmly.
flames Woodfall."
''It's lieE' snapped out the immov-
able Gordon. James Woodfall would
mt let himself be nabbcd by such as
you"
"Why not? We've got YOU"
The man did not answer.
"All his fault for getting soft on a
girl. Wish l had her herer' Gordon
muttered. presently.
He caught sight of me Mt the door
way and shot at me sort of stecly look
that made me shudder. But did not
connect myself with his words. was
too bewildered to think or to under
stand clearly what was going on until
saw him. handcuffed as he was,
quietly draw a tiny revolver from his
pocket and, without raising it. point
it at Laurence. With q scream l
rushed forward into the room and
/ flung myself in front of Laurence, and
l heard report and felt something
touch my arm-I did not know what at
tirst-but Laurence sprung forward
with almost ayell. But he was en-
numbered with my form; and, before
he could put me down, Gordon had
wrenched himself away from his cap
tors, and, snariing: II meant to have
done for her!" dashed through the win
dow into the fog and darkness.
l knew had been shot in the arm,
for the blood trickled through my
sleeve. Laurence did not join in the
chase after Gordon, but tore off the
body of my frock and bandaged my
arm himself. He wished to go to Bea-
consburgh for doctor, but insisted
that the injury was tritling, and his
bandaging would serve until the doctor
came in the morning to see Sarah.
"Now tell me about the robbery.
Did you find the policemen in the
parkp" Then suddenly sprung up
from the sofa. Where is Mr.. Raynerp
Why was Gordon here instead of him?
Oh. Laurence, my head seems to be 60
ing round! l don't understand it at all.
am getting quite bewildered. Why
was it?"
"Let me tell you about the rob-
berry," said he. very grayely and gent
ly. - found the policemen in tho
park and stationed them in the shrub
berry, and stood myself, with that
man over there, and one other, as
close as possible to the back entrance
of the house; and there we waited I'M
til nearly half-past seven, when a man
came up through the fog and tapped
at the door. One of the maids opened
it, by appointment. as it turned out.
for she was expecting HIM, though I
don't believe the poor girl suspected
what his real business was; for it was
Tom Parkcs. And, when they went
inside, Tom went last, and left the
door ajar. A few minutes later
another man came up and slipped in
so quietly, so quickly, that we could
hardly have sworn in the dense fog to
his going in at all. Then presently
Tom and the girl came out. He said
goodbye to her, walked a few steps
away, until she had shut the door,
then returned and crept alongside the
wall of the house until he was under
the strong-room window. There were
four OF our men stationed very close
to that, and their chief, who was with
me, crept along easily under cover of
the fog, which was as thick rs ever, to
join them. / followed with the other
men. In n few minutes we heard
soft whistle from the strong-room win
dow, as we guessed. Tom answered
by another, and we saw third man
come up and join Tom. / was so
close that l saw bundle let cautious
ly down from the window by cord
Tom handed it to the third man,
whom we allowed to walk Off with it
followed. however, by two police
men-in order to watch the further
proceedings of the other two thieves
Another bundle was let down, which
Tom carried of himself; and then VIC
watched anxiously for the next move
ment of the man in the house. The
strong-room window is about twenty
feet from the ground; but the man
jumped down and landed on his feet.
In an instant five of us were upon him,
but. though think each of us in turn
thought we had caught him, he eluded
us all and got clear away, and in the
fog escaped us. But the man at the
window there. who has been so many
years on the force, recognized him and
identified him as James Woodfall, and
l recognized him, too"
"You, Laurence! l didn't know you
had ever seen him!" cried.
- Al Il = \